Once-in-a-generation indyref ‘not a rhetorical flourish’, Alister Jack says

Alister Jack has dismissed any notion of another independence referendum despite questions over the “once-in-a-generation” argument being “rhetorical flourish”.

The UK Government’s Scottish Secretary stood firm in his opposition to another vote just six years after Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom – despite a rise for independence support in opinion polls.

Scotland’s Constitution Secretary Mike Russell last month said a second vote could be held as early as next year with a shorter campaign than the one during the 2014 poll.

But in one interview with the BBC, Mr Jack suggested a generation could be “25 or 40 years”.

The white paper was about a lot of nonsense on an economy built on 110, 120 dollars for a barrel of oil

And in conversation with Good Morning Scotland on Friday, he said: “We had a referendum, it was once in a generation, as a democrat I respect the outcome of referenda, we’re delivering on Brexit, and we are respecting the outcome of the 2014 referendum on independence.

“In the white paper for independence produced by Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, once in a generation is referred to a number of times in that paper almost in the first six paragraphs, and then a number of times thereafter.

“It was not a rhetorical flourish and nobody should ever allow that to become a fact because it simply isn’t one… the white paper was about a lot of nonsense on an economy built on 110, 120 dollars for a barrel of oil.

“When you’ve had a 300-year-old enduring partnership as successful as the United Kingdom, you don’t then go into a period of neverendums until a party that has one objective, which is to separate Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom, gets its own way.

“They are as you know a party of government at the moment – but they are a party that view everything through the prism of separation.

“I don’t think we should keep having referendums until they get their own way, it should respect the outcome of the one we had.”

In the latest opinion poll, Survation suggests support for Scottish independence is at 54%, with the same percentage backing SNP on the constituency vote in the Holyrood election in six months’ time.

Mr Jack stated that in a previous interview he was “misquoted” as suggesting an outright majority could secure indyref2, saying he was actually quoting Ruth Davidson’s position rather than changing his own stance on the issue.

He then said: “My position has never changed, particularly now, we don’t need a divisive referendum.

“We’ve had two referenda recently, they’ve been very divisive for our society, they’ve created a lot of uncertainty, it’s very bad for the economy, it’s bad for jobs.

“I think now we need to be focusing on our economic recovery from a global pandemic not worrying about constitutional issues which, when most people are polled, actually are six or seven on their list of priorities.”

In response, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “As we’re seeing across the Atlantic just now, politicians who rage against democracy don’t prevail.

“Let’s not dignify this rubbish. Instead let’s keep making and winning the case for independence. Power doesn’t belong to politicians – it belongs to the people.”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford also told the BBC radio programme: “I think Alister should listen to what people in Scotland are saying because increasingly people in Scotland are saying they want to have that independence referendum.

“We’ve had 12 polls now over the course last few months, has shown a majority for that.

“Alister Jack is not going to stop the people of Scotland having their say and I make a prediction as I have done over the last few weeks that there is very strong momentum towards independence.

“I’m looking forward to the election next year, we will be having that referendum and again I look forward to that pathway for Scotland back into Europe.”